


Never a Dull Moment

by arthur_pendragon



Series: Vignettes of Gaius's Fascinating Life [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Accidental Use of Magic, Canon Era, Fluff and Humor, Gaius Needs Some Sleep, Gen, Getting Together, M/M, Magic Revealed, Puppy Arthur Pendragon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-25 19:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18581164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arthur_pendragon/pseuds/arthur_pendragon
Summary: Another vignette of the life Gaius leads in Camelot under King Arthur and his manservant.(Alternatively,This Time on Top Gaius: Arthur Under a Puppy Spell!)(set before the first one in the series)





	Never a Dull Moment

Merlin was, to put it mildly, not the best at concealing guilt. Not from Gaius, in any case. Gaius had methods of elucidating the truth from people, but he had never had to exert them when it came to Merlin, because the boy’s expressive face spoke _volumes_.

“So,” Gaius said, standing in the entryway to his infirmary. “Where _did_ all these puppies come from?”

Merlin opened his mouth. Nothing came out. His cheeks flamed red, and Gaius felt a rush of avuncular affection bloom in his heart.

About fifteen puppies swarmed around Merlin’s feet, yipping and gambolling, with their little tails wagging upright. One of them tried to climb his leg but fell off (undeterred, it tried again). All of them had golden fur and the clearest blue eyes.

Gaius’s head throbbed. He stuck out a foot sideways to stop one of the puppies from slipping past him.

“It was Arthur’s fault,” Merlin said hurriedly, gathering the adventurous pup trying to scale him into his arms. Gaius’s eyebrows drew close to each other, which only flustered him further. “He was taunting me and wouldn’t stop! And I was tired from scrubbing the floors of his chambers all day and couldn’t keep a lid on my magic, so when he called me a puppy trailing after him I said _I’ll show_ you _a puppy_ and — and here we are.”

“How many did you say you’d show him?” asked Gaius faintly.

“That happened when I tried to turn him back,” said Merlin, looking miserable. The puppy he was holding happily slobbered over his cheek.

“Never a dull moment when you’re around,” said Gaius, and turned the lock in the door after closing it. “What does the grimoire say?”

“Haven’t had the chance to look at it, the puppies would chew it up and we’d be in a bind. Not that we aren’t already. More of a bind, then.”

“I’ll fetch it from your room.” At the F-word, the puppies’ yapping grew in volume, and they left Merlin to run amok in the room. Merlin helplessly turned to the animal in his hands, and brought it to his face.

“I’m sorry,” he told it, very seriously, right as Gaius strode past him. “But you’re so adorable I’ve half a mind to keep you as you are.”

“ _Merlin_!”

“I was lying, you’re all hideous,” Merlin said hastily. His puppy whined and stretched its neck to lick at him. “I was lying again, you’re the best,” he whispered, but Gaius, despite his age, heard him anyway.

* * *

 

It took half the night and several failed attempts, but Merlin finally incanted the counter-spells they’d found without a hitch or a single mispronunciation. The sleepy puppies around him disappeared, leaving the one dozing creature he’d never let go of, and then with a flash that dozing creature transformed into a wide-awake King Arthur, Merlin instantly collapsing under the weight.

Gaius nearly threw his hands up in joy and fell asleep in his chair.

“You,” Arthur breathed.

Merlin whimpered, stuck under him, unable to run for his life.

Gaius cleared his throat, but no one took notice.

“You think I’m _adorable_ ,” breathed Arthur again, and although Gaius had a host of questions that that sentence stirred up (and another host when Arthur grinned and kissed Merlin), he rather thought he’d leave them for the morning, considering Merlin was seemingly in no danger of losing his head.

Literally, this time.


End file.
